Nantahala School is a small K–12 school in Topton, North Carolina. Located in a remote part of Macon County it is situated amidst the Nantahala National Forest. The school has about 100 students. It is one of the state's few remaining K–12 schools. The school is located at 213 Winding Stairs Road. It has an 11 percent minority enrollment and 61 percent of students are economically disadvantaged. The school has volleyball, cross country, basketball, and golf teams. Alumni include Eric Rudolph who dropped out of the school. The school is part of the North Carolina High School Athletic Association and its teams compete as the Nantahala Hawks.
History
In 1913 Nantahala Township's schools were funded by taxes on residents and property holders. In 1922, the need for Namtahala School facilities was documented. In 1967, sending a Teacher Corps team to the school was proposed.
Former student, teacher, principal, and school superintendent Chris Baldwin was interviewed about the school, the area, and his recollections of the school. He recalled it being heated with coal and driving students to the school on the windy scenic roads. He stated the school was established in 1961.
Heath Shuler, a member of the North Carolina House of Representatives, paid tribute to the boys basketball team in 2010 after it finished the season with 23 wins and 7 losses. More than half of the school's 18 boys were on the team. In 2022 the school had a girls basketball team but not a boys team.
Funding and small size
The school receives funding from the county in addition to state funding so that each grade has a teacher. Class sizes are small, often six or seven students in each. The school costs more per student to run than other school in the county, but consolidation is challenging due it being an hour away from other schools. Oracoke School, located on an island, one of the only other K-12 school in North Carolina. Jim Davis has sought additional state funding for the school to lessen the county's cost burden.
Geography
The school is set amidst the Nantahala National Forest and was one of three remaining K-12 schools in North Carolina in 2013. It maintained a 100 percent graduation rate at that time.
See also
- List of high schools in North Carolina